(Left to right) James LaGrippe, Board of Trustees Chair, Sandy Prodehl, Ed Prodehl and Brother James Gaffney, FSC, President

Lewis University raised more than $230,000 for its Mission Fund, which provides scholarships for students in need, at its 15th annual Signum Fidei (Sign of Faith) Celebration, held recently at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in Chicago. This year, the event recognized Sandy and Ed Prodehl with the 2013 Signum Fidei Award, in honor of their remarkable and extraordinary dedication to Lewis University and impressive commitment to Catholic education.

The Signum Fidei Celebration included an opening reception with silent auction, followed by a five-course gourmet dinner, awards ceremony, live auction and entertainment. Chicago news anchor Bill Kurtis served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Proceeds from the event benefit the Lewis Mission Fund, which provides financial and scholarship assistance to the University’s students in need. The Signum Fidei Award is presented annually to outstanding individuals who demonstrate the faith-filled commitment in their contributions to society and to the University.

Very accomplished in his real estate business, Ed Prodehl entered that field early in his career with Robert Honig. After Honig’s retirement in 1984, Ed purchased the company and transformed it into one of the largest real estate firms in Illinois. In 1997, he merged the firm with the Sheldon Bell Coldwell Banker franchise to become Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell which now consists of 36 residential real estate offices, two commercial offices, and nearly 1,000 professionally trained realtors who achieved over $1.5 billion in residential home sales in 2012.

A highly dedicated member of the Lewis University Board of Trustees since 2002, Ed Prodehl has shared his business and leadership expertise on the Board’s Development Committee and as Vice Chair of the Property, Plant and Equipment Committee and Co-Chair of the Campaign for Lewis University: Touching Hearts and Minds. He was also an inaugural member of the Lowell Stahl Center for Real Estate Studies Advisory Board at Lewis. Ed was awarded an Alumni Achievement Award in 1998 by Joliet Catholic Academy, and was the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1998 from the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sandy was the business owner of a thriving travel agency while nurturing her family and thoughtfully and generously volunteering in support of vital charitable causes, including nine years of service on Lewis University’s Cultural Advisory Board.

Married for more than 50 years, Ed and Sandy Prodehl have four children and nine grandchildren. Together, they have very effectively emphasized the great importance of family and giving back by hosting traditional Sunday evening meals with their children and grandchildren. They also have involved their children in charitable causes such as the annual events that they organized and sponsored for Little Hands, Big Hearts.

To learn more about the Signum Fidei Celebration or view photos and video from this year’s event, visit www.lewisu.edu/SignumFidei.

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,500 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.

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